Fishing reel



July 19, C. A lWHlsM/MQ FISHING REEL i Filed Nov. 17, 1945 Trae/Vey.

Patented July 19, 1949 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE' The invention relates to a fishing reel and more particularly to a reel commonly referred to as a fresh water reel or trout reel. The invention relates to a fishing reel having a friction clutch between the spool and its handle;

An object of the inventionis to automatically reduce the drag on the clutch when the spool is unwound by pulling out the line thereon, assuming that the handle is free to move backwards, thereby reducing the likelihood that a sudden pull would break the line or leader.' Preferably under those conditions, the drag on the clutch is not entirely eliminatedbut is reduced to a safe value to prevent free spool operation and thereby prevent a back lashdue to the spool cverrunning the line.

The invention further relates to improved means under control of the usual winding or unwinding rotation of the handle, for increasing or decreasing the drag on the clutch when a fish or the like is pulling out the line and unwinding the spool against the drag of the clutch. According to the invention the drag varying means is operated only over a limited range of movement of the handle. When it is desired to reel in the line, the continued forward rotation of the handle adjusts the clutch drag to its point of maximum drag, the drag remaining at itsmaximum during continued forward rotation of the handle. Means are provided for adjusting the amount of the minimum and maximum drag before using the reel.

A further object of the invention is to gradually change the drag between readily ascertainable minimum and maximum values by rotating the spool handle through a desired angle prefere. ably less than 360, and to leave the drag at its maximum value while continuing to rotate the handle in a forward direction, while Permitting the clutch to slip if at any time the pull on the line exceeds whatever value the drag may then have.

Another object of the invention is to employ the friction clutch for the double function of acting under control of a main spring for engaging the clutch with a relatively large pressure when the handle is operated in a forward position, with provisions for removingthe control of the clutch from that spring and subjecting it to the control of the relatively weak drag spring when the handle is rotated in a reverse direction to the position of minimum drag. The shift from one to the other is gradual, adjustable and under control of the forward and reverse angular position or rotation of the handle,

Another feature of the invention relates to an arrangement whereby the clutch controlling means, by a simple adjustment may be adapted for use either by a right-handed or left-handed angler.

Other features of the invention relate to an adjustable device for taking up wear on the clutch, and to an improved adjustment for the clutch spring.

For further details of the invention reference may be made to the drawings wherein` Fig. 1 is a view in elevation, with parts broken away, of a fishing reel according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line 2-2 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.v

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the broken line 3-3 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view on line 4- of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a developed sectional view of the spring notches on the curved line 5 5 in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on line 6 6 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the fishing reel I has the usual reel seat 2 and comprises a frame having a back plate 3 and a front plate li held together by the usual cross rods as indicated at 5 and 6.

The reel I has a spool lIwhich is mounted on a shaft 8, the spool I and shaft 8 being relatively rotatable. Shafts is mounted for rotary movement and for movement lengthwise of its axis, by a bearing 9 in theback plate 3 and by a bearing I0 in the front plate 4. Fixed to the shaft 8 by a screw His a crank I2 having a handle I3.

Cast integral with or otherwise fixed to shaft 3 is a clutch plate I4.' Plate I4 comprises one member of a friction clutch having a cooperating member in the form of a ring I5 of friction material suitably secured tothe spool flange I6. The clutch plate I4 is urged into engagement with the friction material I5 `by means of a compression spring I1. Spring I'I has a central collar I 8 which slidably and rotatably lits on the front end of shaft 3.. Radiating from collar I8 is a plurality of. spring arms vI9. To vary the force of spring I1, the outer ends of arm I9 nt in recesses such as'ZiI 'of acertain depth, or it may be shifted to recesses such as 2l of a different depth, the spring adjustment being made by taking the reel apart and before the reel is put into use. The recesses EI and 2| are arranged in the face of the clutch plate I4 and while two sets of 3 recesses 20 and 2| are shown, a larger or smaller number may be used.

As shown in Fig. 2, the outer end of collar I8 bears against the inner face of bearing I8, the latter serving as a stop for outward movement ofthe collar I8.

The force of spring I1 is comparatively large, while a comparatively Weak drag spring 22, similar in construction to spring I1., is arranged at the rear side of spool 1.. In Fig. .2, spring 22 appears flat instead of convex like spring I1 because in Fig. 2, spring I1 overpowers spring 22, spool 1 being in its farthest position to the left with maximum drag on the spool. Spring 212 comprises a plurality of arms which radiate from a collar 23 which rotatably and slidably'ts on the rear end of shaft 8. The .rear face ef .collar 23 bears on the front face of bearing 9, the latter serving as a stop for collar 23. Also v-in the position of adjustment shown in Fig. 2, bearing 3 serves as a stop to *limit endwise movement of spool I to the left, vas the inner end of 'the spool hub 28 rotatably bears against the right end voi collar 23 andV the Aleft Iend of collar 23 rotatably bears against the bearing 9.

As shown in Fig. 4, the drag .spring 22, like the mainspring I1'has four arms fas A`indicated at 22 and a pluralityofsets -of notches for diiern ent depths as indicated at 25 and 26, are 4provided in the spool flange 21 so that the forcefo spring 22 may be adjusted to 1a suitable value. I` y As the spring collar I'8 bears V.against the bearing I 8 which serves as a xed'st'op, the spring I1 tends to move shaft 8 and the clutch plate I4 towards back plate 3 to engage the clutch. Means are provided for variably -restraining the force of spring I1 Aby "moving clutch plate I4 v,and connected shaft 8 in the opposite `direction, `to the right, to vary the force of spring I1 on the clutch. The forcelof spring I1 in `its action on the friction member I5 maybe reduced substantially to zero, and instead of lleaving the spool 1 in a free-spool condition, the clutch I`4, I5, serves as a drag clutch acted `ononly bythe weak drag spring 22. The spool 1V`is .slid'able on shaftV 8 and when the force of spring I1 isyremoved, spring 22 is operative to force the friction -rnaterial I5 into engagement with the clutch -plate I4. For this purpose, means are -provided funder the control of the usual rotation of 'handle I3, for

reciprocating shaft 8tovary the control of springs I1 and 22 as above described. To this end, the iront plate 4 is provided with a cam groove '28, for use by a right-handed angler, groove 28 gradually .increasing in `depth from its shallow end Sil to its deep end 33 in a `clbokwise direction as seen in Fig. 1. The bottom of groove 28 'is 'provided with a hardened steel liner `29. Riding in the groove 28 on liner 29 is a cam kfollower in the form of a ball 38. Supported 'by the Vball 38 is a retainer for spring I1 in the form of a cap 3| having an inturned ilange 32. The cap 3| is an integral part of the crank I2. Cap .3I has a square central hole tting on ra ,square .portion 3| of shaft 8. Capv 3| is held in Vposition on shaft 8 by screw II., The spring I1 in pushing on the clutch plate I3 tends to push shaft-.8 andV retainer cap 3| to the left as seen inFig. 2 andthe extent of such movement is determined by the. position of ball 30` in the cam. groove 28, cap '3| being urged against ball 30 by lspring I1. As handle I3 rotates. shaft 8 'counterclockwise Vthe ball 38 through its frictional engagement with the cap 3|, follows such movement until it reaches the shallow` end 34 of groove 28., However, as; handle I3 rotates shaft 8 in a clockwise direction, the ball 38 through its frictional engagement with the cap 3| follows such movement until it reaches a position where the clutch plate I4 is in full engagement with the friction material I5. For example, this point may be approximately 10 before the ball 38 reaches the deep end 33 of groove 28, the advantage of this leeway being that wear on the clutch I4,.I.5 is compensated for automatically, because :as this clutch wears, the handle I3 and cap 3| will simply be moved forward a little more in arriving at the point where the ball 38 drops away from cap 3|, with clutch I3, I5 in full engagement.

When handle I3 is rotated clockwise as seen in Fig. l, namely in a forward direction to wind up the line on spool 1, the ball 38 rides towards the deepest end 33 of cam slot 28 as shown in Fig. 1, thereby permitting spring I1 to move shaft 8 to the left as shown in Fig. 2 to the position where spring I1 overcomes lspring 22 and applies maximum frictionel engagement between clutch plate VIll and friction .material I5. Continued rotation in the same directionV leaves ball 38 in the forward end of groove 28 with maximum drag on the spool. .If 'the line on spool 1 is pulled out at this time, Y.the .pullis opposed by the maximum drag on spool 1. vIf the hand is removed from vhandle I3, however, a pull .on the line at the time of maximum .drag willrota'te spool 'I in `a reverse direction whereby cap 3| will frictionally engage ba11'38 and roll it counterclockwise in groove 28 to reduce the drag to a point where the spring I1 no longer causes `'enough lfrictional engagement between cap 3| and ball 30 to move it counterclockwise any farther. The drag can be restored or maintained at any suitable value within the limits chosen, by angularly adjusting the crank I2.

In the preceding description reference was made to the fact that for clockwise .rotation of the handle I2, the clutch is fully engaged about ten degrees before the 'ball 38 reaches the deep end `33 of groove 28. 'This means that the ball 88 has some Vfree play at the extreme deep end 33 of groove 28 and it will be noted that the ends of groove 28 and also, the ends of the cam groove 35 are on a line which is tilted clockwise from vertical for the reason that the shing rod is normally held at a `position tiltedup from horizontal and at that position `the ends 33, 34, 36, 31 of grooves 28 and 35 are substantially vertical. At any rate, for the position of the shing rod when horizontal, with the reel in the position shown in Fig. 1, or for any positionof the shing groove 28 leads in a downward direction to the shallow end 34 of this groove so that the ball 33 will Vdrop out of the deep end 33 where it has some free play, into engagement between cap 3| and groove 28. 4Similar action takes place if the ball 33 is in the other groove 35, and reel I reversed for left hand operation.

The reel I is, of course, intended to be suspended from a fishing rod having a butt at the left of Fig. 1 and a tip at the right of Fig. 1. Also if the groove 28 has a length of about one-half circle or less, this makes it possible to provide the front plate 4 with another cam groove 35 for use by a left-handed angler. Groove 35 has its shallow end at 36 and its deep end at 31. The reel may be converted for use by a left-handed angler, by removing the stop cap 3 l, and by placing the ball 3D in the groove 35.

The spool '1, as shown in Fig. 2, may be cast or stamped in two parts having a parting line in a plane at right angles to the axis of the spool, at the middle of the spool, these spool halves being suitably secured together as by rivets 38. Also, as shown in Figs. 2 and 6, the'adjacent hub portions of the spool halves may be provided with f a groove 39 to receive the shing line and with a recess All to receive the knot.

While various depths of cam groove may be employed, it may, for example, vary from onesixteenth of an inch at its shallow end 34 or 36 to one-eighth of an inch at its deep end 33 or 3l. The force of drag spring l1 may have any suitable value. A maximum drag of one and onehalf pounds has proven satisfactory, although other values may be employed. In fact, one advantage of the type of spring indicated at l1 is that the force of this spring, which may be of phosphor bronze material, can be readily changed by taking the reel apart and if the force of the spring is to be increased, the spring arms are bent so as to make them more curved, while if the force is to be reduced, the spring arms are bent so as to make them less curved. Also the spring tension, of course, can be varied by adjusting the spring from one step or recess 20, 2i, 25, 26 to another.

I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. A fishing reel comprising a shaft, a spool rotatably supported on said shaft, a winding handle fixed to said shaft, a friction clutch having a clutch member on said shaft and a cooperating clutch member on said spool, means supporting said shaft for rotary and axial movements, a compression spring acting on said shaft clutch member and tending to engage said clutch, a retainer on said shaft for said spring, and cam means actuated by said retainer and operated by rotation of said handle for axially shifting said shaft and said retainer to vary the force of said spring.

2. A fishing reel comprising a shaft, a spool jcurnaled on said shaft, a handle fixed to said shaft, a friction clutch between said shaft and said spool, a compression spring tending to close said clutch, and means responsive to the unwinding of said spool to reduce the force of said spring on said clutch from a greater to a lesser value when said handle is released.

3. A fishing reel comprising a shaft, a spool journaled on said shaft, a handle fixed to said shaft, a friction clutch between said shaft and said spool, a compression spring tending to close said clutch, and means responsive to the winding rotation of said handle for increasing the force of said spring for a portion only of the winding movement and not for the remainder.

fl. A fishing reel comprising a shaft, a spool journaled on said shaft, a handle fixed to Said shaft, a friction clutch between said shaft and said spool, a compression spring tending to close said clutch, and means responsive to the Winding rotation of said handle for increasing the force 6 of said spring on said clutch, said means being responsive to the unwinding rotation of said handle to decrease the force of said spring on said clutch.

5. A fishing reel comprising a shaft, a spool journaled on said shaft, a rotary handle fixed to said shaft, a friction coupling between said shaft and said spool, a compression spring tending to increase the drag of said coupling, a retainer for said spring and cam means operated by rotary movement of said handle in the direction of winding for shifting said retainer in oner direction for gradually increasing the force of said spring onsaid coupling over a range of the winding movement,l said cam means being operative on unwinding movement of said handle as well as on unwinding movement of said spool when said handle is released to shift said retainer in the opposite direction to gradually decrease the force of said spring on said coupling over a range of the unwinding movement.

6. A fishing reel comprising a spool, a handle therefor, means supporting said handle for rotary movement about the axis of said spool and fork movement lengthwise of said aXis, a friction Aclutch between said handle and said spool, a relatively strong compression spring at one end of said spool tending to close said clutch, a relatively weak drag spring at the other end of said spool tending to close said clutch, a retainer for said compression spring associated with said handle, and means operable on rotation of said handle in opposite directions to move said retainer and shift said friction clutch from the control of one of said springs to the other.

7. A fishing reel comprising a spool, a handle therefor, a friction clutch between said spool and said handle, said friction clutch having a clutch member on said spool, a cooperating clutch member for said handle, a relatively strong compression spring tending to engage said clutch members in one direction, a relatively weak drag compression spring tending to engage said clutch members in the opposite direction, and means operated by rotary movement of said handle for increasing the force of either one of said compression springs and for decreasing the force of the other spring.

8. A fishing reel according to claim 1 wherein said cam means comprises a ball, and a cooperating cam groove, said groove being concentric With said shaft and increasing in depth in the forward direction of rotation of said handle.

9. A fishing reel according to claim 1 having a frame and wherein said cam means comprises a ball, said frame having a pair of grooves for said ball, each of said grooves being concentric with said shaft and increasing in depth in the opposite directions of rotation of said handle, and means removably securing said retainer in position, whereby said retainer may be removed and said ball inserted in one of said grooves for righthanded operation or in the other groove for lefthanded operation.

10. A fishing reel comprising a spool, a friction clutch member on said spool, a shaft, a cooperating clutch member on said shaft, a collar slidable on said shaft, a bearing supporting said shaft for reciprocating movement, compression spring arms radiating from said collar and acting on said shaft clutch member for urging said clutch members together, said bearing serving as a stop for said collar, and means for reciprocating said shaft to vary the force of said spring.

11. A fishing reel comprising a shaft, a spool journaled -on 'said shaft, a --handle 'Xed to said sha-ft, ia friction voln'toi'i having a clutch memberon saidshaft and a cooperating clutch member on said spool, a compression springA acting on said 'shaft clutchmember and tending to engage said Gluten, 'means supporting said shaft for rotary 'and .axial movements, and means -or axmuy-shiftingV saidshaf-t consequent upon winding or iunwinding movement of said Vhandle to vary the force lof saidspring.

-12. A'shingr'eel according to claim 1 having a .frame and wherein said cam means comprises a `bali and a cooperating cam groovein said frame, said groove being concentric With Said shaft and increasing indepth in the v.forward direction of rotation fof said whandle, the deep end of said groove permitting free play of said ball when said friction clutchis Lfully engaged, and said grooveV leading in `a downward direction from the deep endftoftnefsnauow-end of-said groove V1n a direction counter to 'the Winding movement of the handle whereby said ball drops by-gravity into engagement between said retainer and said groove. Y

Y fA. WHISMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The 'following 'refoes are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number -Name Date 837,489 `My`ers -..7---- Dec. 4, 1906 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Coimtry Date 4:6,7719 Great Britain Feb. 23, 1911 336,882 Great Britain Oct. 23, 1930 

